With the recent legalization of Marijuana in Washington and Colorado State, mandatory minimum drug sentences cut, the release of low-level drug users from prisons to reduce overpopulation, and the distribution of marijuana growing and selling licenses, Christians can no longer avoid the subject of pot.
Since there is no explicit passage in the Bible addressing the use of marijuana, Christians have responded to the pot debate in differing ways. The two passages often cited are Romans 13:1-7, where Paul commands Christians to respect the governing authorities and the law of the land. And Ephesians 5:18 where Paul commands the church to not drink wine to the point of intoxication, but instead be filled with the Holy Spirit. And the Apostle Paul again in I Cor. 6:19-20 where he speaks about the sacred nature of our bodies and how we are to respect them and treat them as holy since they are the resting place for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
So, this raises a few questions. Since marijuana use is now the law of the land, is it wrong to use? In the eyes of the law and among many people who use pot, weed is likened to alcohol. The rules that apply to alcohol also apply to pot such as you cannot use pot and drive, its illegal for minors, and you cannot be publicly intoxicated.
Also, if you used pot, but didn't smoke to intoxication, would it then be permissible to use? Since pot use is the law of the land, and if one used it responsibly, not smoking to the point of intoxication, it would seem many of the barriers for Christians have been removed.
I must admit, for a very long time I was one of those Christians who looked down on pot and those who used it, but with all the recent changes I have been forced to consider the subject in greater depth. Frankly, I don't have any resolute answers, mostly questions. However, I think its "high" time we Christians have a more open discussion on the matter. Despite the freedom to use, are there any reasons to abstain?
With alcohol, most have a few drinks and don't go on to the point of drunkenness. In fact, many enjoy beer, wine, scotch, whiskey, bourbon, and so on for the sake of the drink itself. Or they drink for relaxation, health benefits (moderate amounts of wine have been to shown to have many benefits) or til the point of a slight to moderate buzz. Surely, many take drinking too far and the line of drunk and buzzing can be very hazy. But there is no implicit assumption with alcohol (unless you're a part of a fraternity) that the only way to enjoy drinking is by drinking to excess.
I've often heard it said that misusing something to the point of excess is true of many things such as food, alcohol, video games, gambling and so on. What's the difference between someone who overeats til the point of food "intoxication" and smoking weed til the point of getting high? Therefore, those who selectively focus on weed to the exclusion of the "other" things, that are overused, are hypocritical.
Point taken. It is true that many "other" things are misused and that is fair point, but is it a salient point. Just because the misuse of something else happens doesn't dismiss the problem with misuse of marijuana.
We must consider the purpose of things such as food. Food is for the purpose of sustenance and the continuance of life. There is an inherent need for food, its purpose is good. Obviously people can and do misuse food in bad ways, but that is a violation of its purpose. Or take alcohol such as wine.
The purpose of wine is something to facilitate relaxation, increase pleasure and health benefits. There is even a Biblical basis for the responsible consumption alcohol. Paul recommended to Timothy to have a little (I Tim. 5:23). Or the author of the proverb who recommended wine to those who are suffering (Proverbs 31:6-7). But alcohol is misused to the point of intoxication and the effects can devastating if heavy drinking persists. However, this is a misuse of the intended purpose of alcohol. Besides medical marijuana, the inherent purpose of marijuana is for getting high. Its not a matter of misusing something inherently good for bad purpose, the very purpose of marijuana is for intoxication which is in clear violation of the Ephesians 5:18 mandate.
However, this often seems to be the case with pot smoking. I haven't heard of many people smoking a little bit of pot for the pleasure of smoking pot. Or smoking to the point of relaxation or to a slight to moderate buzz. It seems that smoking weed comes along with assumption or social pressure to get high. Getting high, although not explicitly addressed in Ephesians 5:18 however the principle I would argue still applies, violates the command to not be drunk. This for me is problematic.
There are also some strong health concerns when using marijuana.
"Marijuana use can have a variety of adverse, short- and long-term effects, especially on cardiopulmonary and mental health..."
"Marijuana smoke is an irritant to the lungs, and frequent marijuana smokers can have many of the same respiratory problems experienced by tobacco smokers, such as daily cough and phlegm production, more frequent acute chest illness, and a heightened risk of lung infections. One study found that people who smoke marijuana frequently but do not smoke tobacco have more health problems and miss more days of work than nonsmokers, mainly because of respiratory illnesses" (http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana)And the the negative impact it has on one's mental health.
"Associations have also been found between marijuana use and other mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts among adolescents, and personality disturbances, including a lack of motivation to engage in typically rewarding activities. More research is still needed to confirm and better understand these linkages"
"A number of studies have shown an association between chronic marijuana use and mental illness. High doses of marijuana can produce a temporary psychotic reaction (involving hallucinations and paranoia) in some users, and using marijuana can worsen the course of illness in patients with schizophrenia. A series of large prospective studies also showed a link between marijuana use and later development of psychosis. This relationship was influenced by genetic variables as well as the amount of drug used and the age at which it was first taken—those who start young are at increased risk for later problems" (http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana)If there are serious health concerns, then how does smoking marijuana comply with the mandate from scripture to treat our bodies as temples? (I Cor. 6:19-20). Surely, this article could die the death of a thousand qualifications. Of course there are health risks to many other things we consume from fast food to inhaling second hand smoke when hanging out with a friend. But, those are aren't excuses for dismissing the concerns raised by smoking weed.
Also, there is a potentially addictive element with weed. Clearly this is true with alcohol as well. However, many studies have found that weed is a gateway drug for those who go on to use hardcore drugs and develop addictions. It is not true that those who use weed go on to be hardcore drug users. But it is true that those who are hardcore drug users started with weed.
"Contrary to common belief, marijuana is addictive. Estimates from research suggest that about 9 percent of users become addicted to marijuana; this number increases among those who start young (to about 17 percent, or 1 in 6) and among daily users (to 25-50 percent). Thus, many of the nearly 7 percent of high-school seniors who (according to annual survey data) report smoking marijuana daily or almost daily are well on their way to addiction, if not already addicted (besides functioning at a sub-optimal level all of the time)" (http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana)Weed has a strong de-motivating effect for moderate to heavy users who smoke consistently. For younger users who use heavily there is a significant impact on IQ scores later on in life.
"Marijuana use is associated with a higher likelihood of dropping out from school. Several studies also associate workers' marijuana smoking with increased absences, tardiness, accidents, workers' compensation claims, and job turnover" http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana
Keep in mind in most of these studies they are finding correlations and not causation. So we cannot say "Smoking weed = "X"", but we can say "Smoking weed is associated with "X"" and in some cases strongly correlated. Furthermore, I think there are many untapped potential benefits to further research of weed. The medical applications are huge.
So, where does that leave us? I'm afraid not with many definite answers. The issue is neither black or white, but somewhere in between. Therefore, I for one think smoking weed is a personal choice, in other words, it comes down to your conscience, your reckoning of the pertinent Bible passages, and ultimately, you and God. I have chosen to not partake, but I am hard pressed to judge another severely for choosing otherwise.
We do after all, have freedom in Christ (II Cor. 3:17), but let that not be a license for disrespecting our bodies, smoking to intoxication, or disobeying the laws of the land (i.e. being high while driving). Your freedom does not negate your duty to be accountable to the Body of Christ. Neither let another's choice to smoke be a cause for judgment.
*To listen to our upcoming podcast on the subject checkout: http://headshrinkinc.podbean.com/
[Part 1 of 2]
ReplyDeleteSome of my thoughts, Dan...
You conclude, if I understand you correctly, that while one cannot condemn all possible uses of Marijuana by means of the Bible, "intoxication" through marijuana, wherever that line lies, stands condemned already, since "Getting high, although not explicitly addressed in Ephesians 5:18 however the principle I would argue still applies, violates the command to not be drunk. This for me is problematic." I appreciate your apparent care in representing the complexities of this very hairy issue. I would contend that these things are even more nuanced than you have described.
First, I don't accept much of the following: "I haven't heard of many people smoking a little bit of pot for the pleasure of smoking pot. Or smoking to the point of relaxation or to a slight to moderate buzz." This is funny to me, since most of the weed smokers I know rarely get "baked," but smoke pretty moderately most of the time. Most often, relaxation and a "moderate buzz" is precisely the object. As one who actually has used marijuana before, I can assure you that there is a definite spectrum of intoxication in smoking, very similar to drinking. And, just as with alcohol, while perfect sobriety and extreme intoxication are obvious when seen, the very wide area in between the poles is indeed quite "hazy."
Secondly, it seems presumptuous to simply assert the real and whole "purpose" of things such as food, wine, and marijuana. Is not food for tasting? Is not the very "pleasure" of wine partly connected to the euphoria achieved by means of mild intoxication ("buzzing")? And, are there not many good things in life, such as swing-sets and footballs and reclining chairs, which are designed primarily for pleasure? Instead of suggesting that the "purpose" of marijuana is intoxication, one might just as well say that we purpose it for relaxation and for fun. Both of these ends are good at the right times and in the right dosage, and both may also become harmful to us and to those around us.
With regard to the issue of excess, I think you are right to compare food, alcohol, and marijuana. Taken in excess, alcohol causes intoxication, as too much food causes nausea. Over time, frequent intoxication or over-eating cause more serious health risks. Also, over time, frequent intoxication begins to spoil the character of the drinker: we call this man a drunk, and the characteristic flaw by which his soul is marked is called debauchery. A habitual over-eater is a glutton, and his flaw may also be labeled "debauchery" or "dissipation" or "profligacy."
[Part 2 of 2]
ReplyDeleteNow, notice that intoxication and food-induced nausea are not, in themselves, one thing with the moral failure; instead, they are the path towards such degeneration. As an example, a person is (rightly) not condemned as a glutton because she got into the spirit of the Thanksgiving feast; but one is certainly a glutton if nearly every day in her home looks like a Thanksgiving celebration. Just so, we should be fair and lenient towards the man who thoroughly drinks the health of his friends every once in a while, the man who does not drink to the point of obnoxiousness, rudeness, crassness, or mean-spiritedness, one who does not risk the lives of others and himself by driving in an unsafe condition, etc.
I think that Ephesians 5:18, at its heart, is much more about a mode of life or state of character than it is about singular actions. Notice, first, that the verse's surrounding context is about the manner in which we as Christians are to "walk" (i.e. our habitual way of life). We are to keep are eyes open, to stay awake, and to be on the alert as children of light in a dark world. Notice, too -- since I am writing to a fellow Greek-ist -- that the imperatives Paul uses are present, not aorist. This means that Paul is commanding the Ephesians concerning prolonged or repeated action, not deeds with a simple or terminal aspect. For this reason, I believe it is blatantly incorrect to translate the negative imperative as "do not GET drunk"; its sense is more like "do not be (being) drunk," "do not keep getting drunk," "no longer be drunk," or "do not live drunkenly." Why? "For that is debauchery," answers Paul. And as we've seen, singular states of intoxication are not debauchery in themselves, though when too frequent, the pattern of actions leads to the moral failure.
Finally, I'm not sure how comfortable I am applying 1 Corinthians 6 to the risks of smoking marijuana, since that passage is clearly about sexual immorality, and does not seem to be saying anything definitely related to physical health. By remote extension, I think it is right to govern our health within the theological significance of the body given by Paul, though I would be less dogmatic in the specific application thereof.
Most honestly, I do not use marijuana because I (not to speak for anyone else) simply don't enjoy it. If I liked it a lot then, yes, I would probably smoke it once in a while for the enjoyment of what I define for myself as a "buzz," and hopefully ceasing when its effects were no longer worth the experience.